Worldwide media continue to downplay the reason for the IDF\'s encirclement of Ramallah, namely, that a terrorist attack of major proportions was prevented because of it. A senior security source told military correspondents that Sharon and Defense Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer erred when they publicized the reason for the encirclement. \"The announcement that the closure was for the purpose of preventing the attack will now make it harder to apprehend the other members of the terrorist cell,\" said the officer. \"Not all of Ramallah has to know when we\'re looking for specific terrorist cells, and we can safely assume that the terrorists we are seeking are not behaving the same way they did three days ago...\"



Other IDF proactive measures today include erecting a new position east of the Tapuach Junction and increased activity in Gush Etzion. The army arrested two Arabs from Hussan, west of Bethlehem on suspicion of having organized riots along the Hussan bypass road.